In this series we’ll take a fresh look at resources and how they are used. We’ll go beyond natural resources like air and water to look at how efficiency in raw materials can boost the bottom line and help the environment. We’ll also examine the circular economy and design for reuse — with an eye toward honoring those resources we do have.

While changes at home can’t solve the many environmental crises we face today, they can sure help. Through this series, we’ll explore how initiatives like curbside compost pick-up, rebates on compost bins, and efficient appliances can help families reduce their impact without breaking the bank.

Despite decades -- centuries even -- of global efforts, slavery can still be found not just on the high seas, but around the world and throughout various supply chains. Through this series on forced labor, sponsored by C&A Foundation, we’ll explore many different types of bonded and forced labor and highlight industries where this practice is alive and well today.

In this series we examine how companies should respond to national controversy like police violence and the BLM movement to best support employees and how can companies work to improve equality by increasing diversity in their ranks directly.

Compost is often considered a panacea for the United States’ tremendous food waste problem. Indeed, composting is a much better option than putting spoiled food in a garbage can destined for a landfill.

You may know Cisco as a company that designs, manufactures, and sells networking equipment. At a quick glance, it may appear that Cisco is just another business to business IT company that has little to do with with sustainability.

However, a deeper look may show that Cisco may play a pivotal role in moving sustainability forward, not only for business, but for communities around the world. We’ve covered a few of their sustainability initiatives in the past.

How is Cisco embedding its core competencies with sustainability for building smart and connected communities now and in the future?Leveraging Cisco’s core competency One of the most powerful actions a company (or any individual, for that fact) can do is to identify, to leverage what they are good at. In other words, building on strengths.

“[Our] core competency is connecting protocols that don’t talk to each other.” says Anil Menon, President, Globalisation and Smart+Connected Communities at Cisco. A common theme arises in how Cisco leverages its strength. In the past, Cisco has integrated networking protocols like AppleTalk and DECnet. It even uses its strength connecting Storage Area Networks and Ethernet. Enough of the tech talk. How does this relate to sustainable building?

Now it is using that core-connecting strength to integrate systems that have never been integrated. Traditionally, lighting, metering, security, card access, closed circuit television, blinds, digital signages, elevators were all on different systems that did not talk to each other.

Cisco has worked with partners to connect these various systems protocols into one. This benefits the construction process for buildings, cutting down on yards, if not miles or cables, but also makes for a smart and aware building. Not only that, but it may even reduce building costs.

The Mayor of Stratford in Ontario, Canada, Dan Mathieson, explains their collaboration with Cisco. “MutualLink: Stratford will be the first community to do this. Our police, fire, schools will all be connected.” Mathieson continues on how connectivity was able to increase the productivity of doctors. “My records can be sent, x-rays can be sent through this infrastructure.”

One example Menon cited was students taking virtual music lessons, because the city was too congested to drive across town. Menon suggests, “We believe that the digital infrastructure is just as important as the physical infrastructure.”

Networking networks It is one thing to have the network, it is another thing to utilize a network to its full potential. “Running a community, city, country, and the world, on networked information.” says Rick Huijbregts, Vice President, Smart + Connected Communities, Cisco Canada. How is that for integrating the bottom line?

What other businesses do you know of that leveraged their core competencies? How else can Cisco’s “connecting protocols that don’t talk to each other” be leveraged?

Full disclosure: Cisco covered travel costs for me to learn about the program in person.

Jonathan Mariano is an MBA candidate with the Presidio Graduate School in San Francisco, CA. His interests include the convergence between lean & green and pursuing free-market based sustainable solutions.